Method and device for loading wire coils on a frame



Sept. 15, 1964 J. BAUMANN METHOD AND DEVICE FOR LOADING WIRE COILS ON AFRAME Filed Oct. 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 3 5 m m mm a m m e S x Jm Y /fl B W \7//////////////// M l o a I U United States Patent O3,14S,779 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR LGABHNG WERE CGILS ON A FRAME JosefBaumann, Schaihausen, Switzerland, assignor, hy mesne assignments, toThe Wheelabretor Corporation, Mishawaha, Ind., a corporation oi*Delaware Filed Oct. 23, 1962, Ser. Ne. :52,434 lt) Claims. (CL 214-1)This invention relates to the processing of bundles of wire and itrelates more particularly to a method and means for opening a wirebundle to expose the surfaces of the wire for surface treatment, as byabrasive or cleaning particles or compositions centrifugally thrown orotherwise applied to the surface.

This invention will be described with reference to the treatment of thesurfaces of the wire with centrifugally thrown abrasive or cleaningparticles for the removal of scale and the like prior to the processingof the wire in various metallurgical Operations. It will be understood,however, that the concepts of this invention will have application alsoto other methods or means for treatment of the surfaces of the wire.

For such purpose, the wire is usually supplied in the form ofsubstantially endless lengths wound into a compact bundle whereby itbecomes ditficult for the abrasive particles or other surface treatingmaterial to penetrate into the interier of the bundle. As a result, thesurface portions of the wire in the interior of the bundle are notproperly exposed to the treating material.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and novel means andmethod for opening a wire bundle for full exposure of the surfaces ofthe wire to such surface treating materials or other material forsurface treatment and then to reform the wire after surface treatmentinto a bundle.

These and other ohjects and advantages of this invention willhereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not oflimitation, an embodirnent of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which- FIG. 1 is a schernatic elevational view partially insection of the arrangement of the elements embodying the features ofthis nvention with the elements in position prior to opening the bundle.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional elevational view of the structure shownin FIG. 1 with the elements in position for opening the wire bundle; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional elevational view of the structure shownin FIGS. l and 2 with the elements in position to secure the wire bundleto the frame.

Referring now to PKG. 1 of the drawing, a loading plat form lt) restsupon a supporting surface 12 in position to be located in verticalalignment with a loading pit 14. An annular disk 16 is removablySecured, as by clamping means (not shown) or by bolt and nut means 18 tothe top side of the platform 19 with the central opening Zi) in theannular disk plate being vertically algned with the pit 14 anddimensioned to be slightly greater than the cross-section of the pit.

Shiftable vertically in the direction toward and away from the platformis a frame plate 22 having a plurality (at least 3) of frame rods 24extending downwardly in arallel relationship from the under side of theframe plate 22 in a substantially equally spaced apart arrangement abouta circular pattern having a dimension less than the circularcross-section or other pattern of circular or poly onal shape of the pit14 thereby to enable the depending frame rods to be displaced throughthe opening 26 of the disk plate 16 and into and out of the pit 14. Theframe rods 2 3 are preferably interconnected by cross brace or brdgingmembers 26 to provide stiness or rigidity and for maintaining the desredspaced relationship between the rods.

Both the frame plate 22 and the disk plate 16 are provided with means,such as clamping means or hook means for removably securing the oppositeends of the wire in the wire bundle 28. Such wire clamping means arepreferably provided respectively on the bottom side of the frame plate22 and the top side of the disk plate 16.

Various means may be employed for raising and lowering the frame plate22 and the attached rods 24 between raised and lowered positions. In thellustrated modification, one such means comprises a bale 30 extendingup- Wardly from the top side of the frame plate 22 and which is adaptedreleasably to be engaged by a hook member 32 on the end of a pulley 3connected by cables 36 to a hoist 38. The hoist may form a part of acable car 40 having wheels 42 movable on tracks 44 for displacement ofthe cable car, hoist, and the frame plate from registry with the pit 14to other processing Stations for wire treatment or for transportation ofthe wire bundle from a source of supply to the opening means describedor for delivery of the bundle of processed wire to storage.

Having described the basic structure of the elements, illustration willnow be made of the use thereof in handling a wire bundle for processing.

A loading disk 16 is clamped onto the stand lil and a wire bundle 28 isplaced onto the top side of the clamped disk plate 16.

The trolley car 4@ is positioned vertically to align the frame plate 22and the depending rods 24 with the loading pit 14 and the frame plate isthen lowered to project the frame rods downwardly through the disk plate16 and the wire bundle 28 and into the pit 14 until the bottom side ofthe frame plate 22 closely approaches the wire bundle 28 or preferablycomes substantially into engagement with the top surface thereof. Oneend of the wire bundle is fixed ahh& to the underside of the frame plate22 while the other end of the wire bundle is fixed to the disk plate.Thereafter the wire bundle is freed of binding wire or other bindingmembers to release the coils and the hoist is operated to raise theframe plate in the direction away from the disk plate. This operates tospread the coils of the wire in the bundle about the spacing frame rods24 to the position shown in FIG. 2. When displaced by the desired amountto achieve the intended spread between the coils of wire in the bundle,the disk plate 16 is removably secured to the adjacent portions of theframe rods 24 thereby to maintain the disk plate and the frame plate inthe predetermined spaced relationship With the wire coil spreadtherebetween about the intervening lengths of the frame rods 24.

In this arrangement, the hoist can raise the frame plate with the rodsattached thereto and the disk plate carried thereon with the coils ofthe wire bundle spread about the spaced rods between the frame plate andthe disk plate. When displaced from the pit and from the stand, theassembly can be moved to any treating station. The assembly can beexposed to a blast area of centrifugally thrown finelydivided abrasiveor other material for surface treatment, for cleaning, etc., with allsurfaces of the wire accessible for such surface treatment.

The described sequence of steps can be reversed to re turn the treatedwire to form the compact bundle, i.e., the assembly is returned intoVertical alignrnent with the pit and the stand to; the assembly is thenlowered by the hoist into the pit until the disk plate 22 again comes torest on the stand. Thereafter, the disk plate is disengaged from theframe rods so that the rods are free for movement relative to the diskplate into the pit whereby the coils of wire are returned from theirspread position to reform the compact wire bundle. When the frame&148379 plate returns to starting position, the reformed bundle can betied and then the ends of the wire bundle can be disengaged from therespective disi; plate and frame plate to free the reformed wire bundlefor removal from the stand when' the rods are raised from within thewire bundle.

The separation of the frame and disk plates for spreading the coils ofwire should he conducted in a manner which avoids deformation of thewire to a point beyond its elastic limit. This enables the reformationof the bundle, as previously described, when the processing has beencompleted Tre amount of spread can be varied depending upon the length,the size or the cross-section of the wire or the diameter of the wire'ring or bundle. The spacing can be varied by adjustment in the amount ofdisplacement of the frame plate relative to the disk plate. Por thispurpose, means areprovided for attachment of the disk plate to the frameplate in its various positions of adjustment.

By way of modification, the device described can embody a traction meanswithin the pit 14 for operative engagement with the frame rods forpositive displacement of the frame rods into' the pit. This modificationis especially adapted for reforming the wire hundle upon completion of'the wire processing step or steps.

By way of further modification; it will be understand that the elementsdescribed may be arranged for relative movement in a horizontaldirection instead of vertical as by providing for horizontaldisplacement of the frame plate and rods into and; ont of the wirebundle properly supported on a vertically disposed platform. For suchpurpose, the-elements will be arranged in somewhat the same fashion asshown in FIG. 1 but turned to an angle of about 90 to the vertical.Under such circumstances a pit will not be necessary beyond the stand.

This method and apparatus can be used to advantage with stili wires.Wires of difierent cross-sections such as circular; square, rectangularor of other polygonal shape may be"spread in accordance with thepractice of this invention. the spreading of hundles of wire, it will heunderstood that the concepts described will have application also forspreading bundles of metal strip or bands.

It will he understood that changes may be made in the details ofConstruction, arrangement and operation without departing from thespirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following clainis.

I claim:

l. The method of spreading a bundle of continuous of positioning thebundle on a stationary platform, displacing an elongate framedimensioned to be less than the openingthrough the bundle from one sideof the bundle opposite the platform andthrough the opening until a frameplate on the one side ofthe frame is positioned adjacent the side of thebundle opposite the platform to locate the bundle between the platformand the frame plate, securingone end of thecoils in the bundle to theplatform and securing the other end of the coils in the hundle to theframe plate, displacing the frame in the direction away from theplatform to spread the coils over' the frame; and connecting the one endof the coils to the adjacent portion of the frame whereby the coils areSecured in their spread relationship on the frame, and removing theframewith the coils spread thereon for treatment.

2. The method of spreading a bundle of continuous coils of metal forsurface treatment comprising mounting the bundle on a disc plate havinganopening therethrough corresponding to theopening of the coil bundle,releasably securing the disc plate to a stationary platform having anopening corresponding to the opening in the disk While thedes crip tionrefers primarilyto plate, securing one end of the coils in the bundle tothe disc plate, displacing an elongate frarne lengthwise through theopening of the coil bundle, disc plate and platform from the directionopposite the disc plate until a frame plate on the frame is positionedadjacent the side of the hundle opposite the disc plate, securing theother end of the coils in the bundle to the frame plate, displacing theframe plate in the direction away from the disc plate to spread thecoils of the bundle over the frame, securing the disc plate to anadjacent portion of the frame, and releasing the disc plate from theplatform whereby the spread coils of the bundle are Secured in theirspread relationship on the frame.

3) Apparatus' for mounting a bundle of continuous coils of metal inspread relationship for surface treatment comprising a stationaryplatform having an opening therethrough correspondirg to the openingthrough the bundle, a disc plate having an opening therethroughcorresponding to the opening in the bundle,' means for releasably'securing the disc plate onto the platform, an elongated franedimensioned to b slig'htly less in cross'- ise dimension than theopening through the bundle, disc plate and platform to enabledisplacement therethrough, a frarne plate o'n theend portion of theframe means for securing one end of the wire coils inthe burdle to 'thefrarne plate, other' means spaced lengthwise from said first meansfoisecuring the other end of the wire coils the bundle to the discplate, and means for displacement of the frame the disc plate andplatform.

4I Apparatus for mounting a bundle of continuous coils' of metal inspread relationship for surface treatment comprising a stationaryplatform having an opening therethrongh corresponding to the openingthrough the bundle, a disc plate having an opening therethroughcorrespondin'g to the' opening in the bundle, means for rele'asablysecuring the disc plate onto the platform, an elongate frame dimensionedto be slightly less in crosswise dimension than the opening through thebundle a'frame plate on the end of thefram'e, means for securing oneend' of the wire coils in the bundle to the' frame plate, means forsecuring the other end of the wire coils in' the bundle to the discplate means for' releasably secnring the disc plate to the fratne andmeans for displac'ement of the frane and'frame plate length- Wise'in thedirection toward and away from the disc plate and platform.

5. Apparatus as claimed in'claini 4'in which the platform ishorizontallydisposed' and`overlies a Well dimensioned to receive asubstantial length of the frame.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the opening in the platformis dimensioned to be less thanthe other diameter of the bundle' but morethan the inner diameter of'the bundle.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the opening' in thedisc'plateis dimensioned to be less'than the outer diameter ofthe'bundle but more than the inner diameter of the' bundle.,

8 Apparatus as claimed inclairn 4 in which the' frame comprises a'plurality of elongate interconnected rods No references cited.

and fraine plate lengthwise in the direction toward and away from'

3. APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING A BUNDLE OF CONTINOUS COILS OF METAL IN SPREADRELATIONSHIP FOR SURFACE TREATMENT COMPRISING A STATIONARY PLATFORMHAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH CORRESPONDING TO THE OPENING THROUGH THEBUNDLE, A DISC PLATE HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH CORRESPONDING TO THEOPENING IN THE BUNDLE, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE DISC PLATE ONTOTHE PLATFORM, AN ELONGATED FRAME DIMENSIONED TO BE SLIGHTLY LESS INCROSSWISE DIMENSION THAN THE OPENING THROUGH THE BUNDLE, DISC PLATE ANDPLATFORM TO ENABLE DISPLACEMENT THERETHROUGH, A FRAME PLATE ON THE ENDPORTION OF THE FRAME MEANS FOR SECURING ONE END OF THE WIRE COILS IN THEBUNDLE TO THE FRAME PLATE, OTHER MEANS SPACED LENGTHWISE FROM SAID FIRSTMEANS FOR SECURING THE OTHER END OF THE WIRE COILS IN THE BUNDLE TO THEDISC PLATE, AND MEANS FOR DISPLACEMENT OF THE FRAME AND FRAME PLATELENGTHWISE IN THE DIRECTION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE DISC PLATE ANDPLATFORM.